Science Classroom Safety and the Law—A Handbook for Teachers

Product Details

Many safety problems exist in the science classroom. Lack of safety equipment, poorly designed laboratories, improper chemical storage and disposal, increasing class size, poor safety planning and training, and lack of classroom supervision are all major safety issues every school must resolve.

Science Classroom Safety and the Law was written to educate science teachers about court cases that apply to science education so you can successfully persuade school administrators to make the “right” decision regarding science safety. This book will give you the “ammunition” you need to correct safety problems at your school. Author Kelly Ryan understands firsthand the safety problems science teachers face since he was a chemistry teacher for 17 years at a large California high school before becoming an attorney.

The book is divided into five sections:
• An overview of negligence and other legal concepts you need to understand to successfully argue for science safety.
• The circumstances surrounding teacher liability in the science laboratory. Why do accidents happen and where do they occur?
• Practical solutions to everyday safety problems. An examination of how existing case laws applies to different “safety situations.”
• A review of 34 actual appellate court cases and how the law applies to science education. The facts of each case are described, and the general principles are summarized in layman’s terms.
• A discussion on the types of defenses a teacher can successfully use if sued.

Throughout the book, practical suggestions are made to improve science safety and reduce the potential for teacher and school district liability.

So often science teachers say they don’t have enough documented evidence to successfully convince school administrators to correct a safety problem. This book will provide the necessary information you need to get safety problems corrected at your school. 156 pages, 8½" × 11", perfect bound.